invisible exploits Of warring Spirits how without remorse The ruin of so many glorious once And perfet while they stood how last unfould The secrets of another world perhaps Not lawful to reveal yet for thy good This is dispenc't and what surmounts the reach Of human sense I shall delineate so By lik'ning spiritual to corporal forms As may express them best though what if Earth Be but the shaddow of Heav'n and things therein Each to other like more then on earth is thought As yet this world was not and Chaos wilde Reignd where these Heav'ns now rowl where Earth now rests Upon her Center pois'd when on a day For time though in Eternitie appli'd To motion measures all things durable By present past and future on such day As Heav'ns great Year brings forth th' Empyreal Host Of Angels by Imperial summons call'd Innumerable before th' Almighties Throne Forthwith from all the ends of Heav'n appeerd Under thir Hierarchs in orders bright Ten thousand thousand Ensignes high advanc'd Standards and Gonfalons twixt Van and Reare Streame in the Aire and for distinction serve Of Hierarchies of Orders and Degrees Or in thir glittering Tissues bear imblaz'd Holy Memorials acts of Zeale and Love Recorded eminent Thus when in Orbes Of circuit inexpressible they stood Orb within Orb the Father infinite By whom in bliss imbosom'd sat the Son Amidst as from a flaming Mount whose top Brightness had made invisible thus spake Hear all ye Angels Progenie of Light Thrones Dominations Princedoms Vertues Powers Hear my Decree which unrevok't shall stand This day I have begot whom I declare My onely Son and on this holy Hill Him have anointed whom ye now behold At my right hand your Head I him appoint And by my Self have sworn to him shall bow All knees in Heav'n and shall confess him Lord Under his great Vice-gerent Reign abide United as one individual Soule For ever happie him who disobeyes Mee disobeyes breaks union and that day Cast out from God and blessed vision falls Into utter darkness deep ingulft his place Ordaind without redemption without end So spake th' Omnipotent and with his words All seemd well pleas'd all seem'd but were not all That day as other solemn dayes they spent In song and dance about the sacred Hill Mystical dance which yonder starrie Spheare Of Planets and of fixt in all her Wheeles Resembles nearest mazes intricate Eccentric intervolv'd yet regular Then most when most irregular they seem And in thir motions harmonic Divine So smooths her charming tones that Gods own ear Listens delighted Eevning now approach'd For wee have also our Eevning and our Morn Wee ours for change delectable not need Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn Desirous all in Circles as they stood Tables are set and on a sudden pil'd With Angels Food and rubied Nectar flows In Pearl in Diamond and massie Gold Fruit of delicious Vines the growth of Heav'n On flours repos'd and with fresh flourets crownd They eate they drink and in communion sweet Quaff immortalitie and joy secure Of surfet where full measure onely bounds Excess before th' all bounteous King who showrd With copious hand rejoycing in thir joy Now when ambrosial Night with Clouds exhal'd From that high mount of God whence light shade Spring both the face of brightest Heav'n had changd To grateful Twilight for Night comes not there In darker veile and roseat Dews dispos'd All but the unsleeping eyes of God to rest Wide over all the Plain and wider farr Then all this globous Earth in Plain out spred Such are the Courts of God Th' Angelic throng Disperst in Bands and Files thir Camp extend By living Streams among the Trees of Life Pavilions numberless and sudden reard Celestial Tabernacles where they slept Fannd with coole Winds save those who in thir course Melodious Hymns about the sovran Throne Alternate all night long but not so wak'd Satan so call him now his former name Is heard no more in Heav'n he of the first If not the first Arch-Angel great in Power In favour and praeeminence yet fraught With envie against the Son of God that day Honourd by his great Father and proclaimd Messiah King anointed could not beare Through pride that sight thought himself impaird Deep malice thence conceiving and disdain Soon as midnight brought on the duskie houre Friendliest to sleep and silence he resolv'd With all his Legions to dislodge and leave Unworshipt unobey'd the Throne supream Contemptuous and his next subordinate Awak'ning thus to him in secret spake Sleepst thou Companion dear what sleep can close Thy eye lids and remembrest what Decree Of yesterday so late hath past the lips Of Heav'ns Almightie Thou to me thy thoughts Wast wont I mine to thee was wont to impart Both waking we were one how then can now Thy sleep dissent new Laws thou seest impos'd New Laws from him who reigns new minds may raise In us who serve new Counsels to debate What doubtful may ensue more in this place To utter is not safe Assemble thou Of all those Myriads which we lead the chief Tell them that by command ere yet dim Night Her shadowie Cloud withdraws I am to haste And all who under me thir Banners wave Homeward with flying march where we possess The Quarters of the North there to prepare Fit entertainment to receive our King The great Messiah and his new commands Who speedily through all the Hierarchies Intends to pass triumphant and give Laws So spake the false Arch-Angel and infus'd Bad influence into th' unwarie brest Of his Associate hee together calls Or several one by one the Regent Powers Under him Regent tells as he was taught That the most High commanding now ere Night Now ere dim Night had disincumberd Heav'n The great Hierarchal Standard was to move Tells the suggested cause and casts between Ambiguous words and jealousies to sound Or taint integritie but all obey'd The wonted signal and superior voice Of thir great Potentate for great indeed His name and high was his degree in Heav'n His count'nance as the Morning Starr that guides The starrie flock allur'd them and with lyes Drew after him the third part of Heav'ns Host Mean while th' Eternal eye whose sight discernes Abstrusest thoughts from forth his holy Mount And from within the golden Lamps that burne Nightly before him saw without thir light Rebellion rising saw in whom how spred Among the sons of Morn what multitudes Were banded to oppose his high Decree And smiling to his onely Son thus said Son thou in whom my glory I behold In full resplendence Heir of all my might Neerly it now concernes us to be sure Of our Omnipotence and with what Arms We mean to hold what anciently we claim Of Deitie or Empire such a foe Is rising who intends to erect his Throne Equal to ours throughout the spacious North Nor so content hath in his thought to try In battel what our Power is or our right Let
us advise and to this hazard draw With speed what force is left and all imploy In our defence lest unawares we lose This our high place our Sanctuarie our Hill To whom the Son with calm aspect and cleer Light'ning Divine ineffable serene Made answer Mightie Father thou thy foes Justly hast in derision and secure Laugh'st at thir vain designes and tumults vain Matter to mee of Glory whom thir hate Illustrates when they see all Regal Power Giv'n me to quell thir pride and in event Know whether I be dextrous to subdue Thy Rebels or be found the worst in Heav'n So spake the Son but Satan with his Powers Far was advanc't on winged speed an Host Innumerable as the Starrs of Night Or Starrs of Morning Dew-drops which the Sun Impearls on every leaf and every flouer Regions they pass'd the mightie Regencies Of Seraphim and Potentates and Thrones In thir triple Degrees Regions to which All thy Dominion Adam is no more Then what this Garden is to all the Earth And all the Sea from one entire globose Stretcht into Longitude which having pass'd At length into the limits of the North They came and Satan to his Royal seat High on a Hill far blazing as a Mount Rais'd on a Mount with Pyramids and Towrs From Diamond Quarries hew'n and Rocks of Gold The Palace of great Lucifer so call That Structure in the Dialect of men Interpreted which not long after he Affecting all equality with God In imitation of that Mount whereon Messiah was declar'd in sight of Heav'n The Mountain of the Congregation call'd For thither he assembl'd all his Train Pretending so commanded to consult About the great reception of thir King Thither to come and with calumnious Art Of counterfeted truth thus held thir ears Thrones Dominations Princedomes Venues Powers If these magnific Titles yet remain Not meerly titular since by Decree Another now hath to himself ingross't All Power and us eclipst under the name Of King anointed for whom all this haste Of midnight march and hurried meeting here This onely to consult how we may best With what may be devis'd of honours new Receive him coming to receive from us Knee-tribute yet unpaid prostration vile Too much to one but double how endur'd To one and to his image now proclaim'd But what if better counsels might erect Our minds and teach us to cast off this Yoke Will ye submit your necks and chuse to bend The supple knee ye will not if I trust To know ye right or if ye know your selves Natives and Sons of Heav'n possest before By none and if not equal all yet free Equally free for Orders and Degrees Jarr not with liberty but well consist Who can in reason then or right assume Monarchie over such as live by right His equals if in power and splendor less In freedome equal or can introduce Law and Edict on us who without law Erre not much less for this to be our Lord And look for adoration to th' abuse Of those Imperial Titles which assert Our being ordain'd to govern not to serve Thus farr his bold discourse without controule Had audience when among the Seraphim Abdiel then whom none with more zeale ador'd The Deitie and divine commands obeid Stood up and in a flame of zeale severe The current of his fury thus oppos'd O argument blasphemous false and proud Words which no eare ever to hear in Heav'n Expected least of all from thee ingrate In place thy self so high above thy Peeres Canst thou with impious obloquie condemne The just Decree of God pronounc't and sworn That to his only Son by right endu'd With Regal Scepter every Soule in Heav'n Shall bend the knee and in that honour due Confess him rightful King unjust thou saist Flatly unjust to binde with Laws the free And equal over equals to let Reigne One over all with unsucceeded power Shalt thou give Law to God shalt thou dispute With him the points of libertie who made Thee what thou art and formd the Pow'rs of Heav'n Such as he pleasd and circumscrib'd thir being Yet by experience taught we know how good And of our good and of our dignitie How provident he is how farr from thought To make us less bent rather to exalt Our happie state under one Head more neer United But to grant it thee unjust That equal over equals Monarch Reigne Thy self though great and glorious dost thou count Or all Angelic Nature joind in one Equal to him begotten Son by whom As by his Word the mighty Father made All things ev'n thee and all the Spirits of Heav'n By him created in thir bright degrees Crownd them with Glory and to thir Glory nam'd Thrones Dominations Princedoms Vertues Powers Essential Powers nor by his Reign obscur'd But more illustrious made since he the Head One of our number thus reduc't becomes His Laws our Laws all honour to him done Returns our own Cease then this impious rage And tempt not these but hast'n to appease Th' incensed Father and th' incensed Son While Pardon may be found in time besought So spake the fervent Angel but his zeale None seconded as out of season judg'd Or singular and rash whereat rejoic'd Th' Apostat and more haughty thus repli'd That we were formd then saist thou and the work Of secondarie hands by task transferd From Father to his Son strange point and new Doctrin which we would know whence learnt who saw When this creation was rememberst thou Thy making while the Maker gave thee being We know no time when we were not as now Know none before us self-begot self-rais'd By our own quick'ning power when fatal course Had circl'd his full Orbe the birth mature Of this our native Heav'n Ethereal Sons Our puissance is our own our own right hand Shall teach us highest deeds by proof to try Who is our equal then thou shalt behold Whether by supplication we intend Address and to begirt th' Almighty Throne Beseeching or besieging This report These tidings carrie to th' anointed King And fly ere evil intercept thy flight He said and as the sound of waters deep Hoarce murmur echo'd to his words applause Through the infinite Host nor less for that The flaming Seraph fearless though alone Encompass'd round with foes thus answerd bold O alienate from God O spirit accurst Forsak'n of all good I see thy fall Determind and thy hapless crew involv'd In this perfidious fraud contagion spred Both of thy crime and punishment henceforth No more be troubl'd how to quit the yoke Of Gods Messiah those indulgent Laws Will not be now voutsaf't other Decrees Against thee are gon forth without recall That Golden Scepter which thou didst reject Is now an Iron Rod to bruise and breake Thy disobedience Well thou didst advise Yet not for thy advise or threats I fly These wicked Tents devoted least the wrauth Impendent raging into sudden flame Distinguish not for soon expect to feel His Thunder on thy head devouring fire
awakens all his Legions who lay till then in the same manner confounded They rise thir Numbers array of Battel thir chief Leaders nam'd according to the Idols known afterwards in Canaan and the Countries adjoyning To these Satan directs his Speech comforts them with hope yet of regaining Heaven but tells them lastly of a new World and new kind of Creature to be created according to an ancient Prophesie or report in Heaven for that Angels were long before this visible Creation was the opinion of many ancient Fathers To find out the truth of this Prophesie and what to determin thereon he refers to a full Councel What his Associates thence attempt Pandemonium the Place of Satan rises suddenly built out of the Deep The infernal Peers there sit in Councel OF Mans First Disobedience and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree whose mortal tast Brought Death into the World and all our woe With loss of Eden till one greater Man Restore us and regain the blissful Seat Sing Heav'nly Muse that on the secret top Of Oreb or of Sinai didst inspire That Shepherd who first taught the chosen Seed In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth Rose out of Chaos Or if Sion Hill Delight thee more and Siloa's Brook that flow'd Fast by the Oracle of God I thence Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song That with no middle flight intends to soar Above th' Aonian Mount while it pursues Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime And chiefly Thou O Spirit that dost prefer Before all Temples th' upright heart and pure Instruct me for Thou know'st Thou from the first Wast present and with mighty wings outspread Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss And mad'st it pregnant What in me is dark Illumin what is low raise and support That to the highth of this great-Argument I may assert Eternal Providence And justifie the wayes of God to men Say first for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view Nor the deep Tract of Hell say first what cause Mov'd our Grand Parents in that happy State Favour'd of Heav'n so highly to fall off From thir Creator and transgress his Will For one restraint Lords of the World besides Who first seduc'd them to that foul revolt Th' infernal Serpent he it was whose guile Stird up with Envy and Revenge deceiv'd The Mother of Mankind what time his Pride Had cast him out from Heav'n with all his Host Of Rebel Angels by whose aid aspiring To set himself in Glory above his Peers He trusted to have equal'd the most High If he oppos'd and with ambitious aim Against the Throne and Monarchy of God Rais'd impious War in Heav'n and Battel proud With vain attempt Him the Almighty Power Hurld headlong flaming from th' Ethereal Skie With hideous ruine and combustion down To bottomless perdition there to dwell In Adamantine Chains and penal Fire Who durst defie th' Omnipotent to Arms. Nine times the Space that measures Day and Night To mortal men he with his horrid crew Lay vanquisht rowling in the fiery Gulfe Confounded though immortal But his doom Reserv'd him to more wrath for now the thought Both of lost happiness and lasting pain Torments him round he throws his baleful eyes That witness'd huge affliction and dismay Mixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate At once as far as Angels kenn he views The dismal Situation waste and wilde A Dungeon horrible on all sides round As one great Furnace flam'd yet from those flames No light but rather darkness visible Serv'd onely to discover sights of woe Regions of sorrow doleful shades where peace And rest can never dwell hope never comes That comes to all but torture without end Still urges and a fiery Deluge fed With ever-burning Sulphur unconsum'd Such place Eternal Justice had prepar'd For those rebellious here their Prison ordain'd In utter darkness and thir portion set As far remov'd from God and light of Heav'n As from the Center thrice to th' utmost Pole O how unlike the place from whence they fell There the companions of his fall o'rewhelm'd With Floods and Whirlwinds of tempestuous fire He soon discerns and weltring by his side One next himself in power and next in crime Long after known in Palestine and nam'd Beelzebub To whom th' Arch-Enemy And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan with bold words Breaking the horrid silence thus began If thou beest he But O how fall'n how chang'd From him who in the happy Realms of Light Cloth'd with transcendent brightness didst out-shine Myriads though bright If he whom mutual league United thoughts and counsels equal hope And hazard in the Glorious Enterprize Joynd with me once now misery hath joynd In equal ruin into what Pit thou seest From what highth fall'n so much the stronger prov'd He with his Thunder and till then who knew The force of those dire Arms yet not for those Nor what the Potent Victor in his rage Can else inflict do I repent or change Though chang'd in outward lustre that fixt mind And high disdain from sence of injur'd merit That with the mightiest rais'd me to contend And to the fierce contention brought along Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd That durst dislike his reign and me preferring His utmost power with adverse power oppos'd In dubious Battel on the Plains of Heav'n And shook his throne What though the field be lost All is not lost the unconquerable Will And study of revenge immortal hate And courage never to submit or yield And what is else not to be overcome That Glory never shall his wrath or might Extort from me To bow and sue for grace With suppliant knee and deifie his power Who from the terrour of this Arm so late Doubted his Empire that were low indeed That were an ignominy and shame beneath This downfall since by Fate the strength of Gods And this Empyreal substance cannot fall Since through experience of this great event In Arms not worse in foresight much advanc't We may with more successful hope resolve To wage by force or guile eternal Warr Irreconcileable to our grand Foe Who now triumphs and in th' excess of joy Sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav'n So spake th' Apostate Angel though in pain Vaunting aloud but rackt with deep despare And him thus answer'd soon his bold Compeer O Prince O Chief of many Throned Powers That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to Warr Under thy conduct and in dreadful deeds Fearless endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King And put to proof his high Supremacy Whether upheld by strength or Chance or Fate Too well I see and rue the dire event That with sad overthrow and soul defeat Hath lost us Heav'n and all this mighty Host In horrible destruction laid thus low As far as Gods and Heav'nly Essences Can perish for the mind and spirit remains Invincible and vigour soon returns Though all our Glory extinct and happy state Here swallow'd up in endless misery But what if he our Conquerour whom I now Of
could have fear'd How such united force of Gods how such As stood like these could ever know repulse For who can yet beleeve though after loss That all these puissant Legions whose exile Hath emptied Heav'n shall fail to re-ascend Self-rais'd and repossess thir native seat For mee be witness all the Host of Heav'n If counsels different or danger shun'd By me have lost our hopes But he who reigns Monarch in Heav'n till then as one secure Sat on his Throne upheld by old repute Consent or custome and his Regal State Put forth at full but still his strength conceal'd Which tempted our attempt and wrought our fall Henceforth his might we know and know our own So as not either to provoke or dread New warr provok't our better part remains To work in close design by fraud or guile What force effected not that he no less At length from us may find who overcomes By force hath overcome but half his foe Space may produce new VVorlds whereof so rise There went a fame in Heav'n that he ere long Intended to create and therein plant A generation whom his choice regard Should favour equal to the Sons of Heaven Thither if but to pry shall be perhaps Our first eruption thither or elsewhere For this Infernal Pit shall never hold Caelestial Spirits in Bondage nor th' Abyss Long under darkness cover But these thoughts Full Counsel must mature Peace is despaird For who can think Submission Warr then VVarr Open or understood must be resolv'd He spake and to confirm his words out-flew Millions of flaming swords drawn from the thighs Of mighty Cherubim the sudden blaze Far round illumin'd hell highly they rag'd Against the Highest and fierce with grasped Arms Clash'd on thir sounding Shields the din of war Hurling defiance toward the Vault of Heav'n There stood a Hill not farwhose griesly top Belch'd fire and rowling smoak the rest entire Shon with a glossie scurff undoubted sign That in his womb was hid metallic Ore The work of Sulphur Thither wing'd with speed A numerous Brigad hasten'd As when Bands Of Pioners with Spade and Pickax arm'd Forerun the Royal Camp to trench a Field Or cast a Rampart Mammon led them on Mammon the least erected Spirit that fell From heav'n for ev'n in heav'n his looks and thoughts Were always downward bent admiring more The riches of Heav'ns pavement trod'n Gold Then aught divine or holy else enjoy'd In vision beatific by him first Men also and by his suggestion taught Ransack'd the Center and with impious hands Rifl'd the bowels of thir mother Earth For Treasures better hid Soon had his crew Op'nd into the Hill a spacious wound And dig'd out ribs of Gold Let none admire That riches grow in Hell that soyle may best Deserve the precious bane And here let those VVho boast in mortal things and wond'ring tell Of Babel and the works of Memphian Kings Learn how thir greatest Monuments of Fame And Strength and Art are easily out-done By Spirits reprobate and in an hour VVhat in an age they with incessant toyle And hands innumerable scarce perform Nigh on the Plain in many cells prepar'd That underneath had veins of liquid fire Sluc'd from the Lake a second multitude VVith wond'rous Art found out the massie Ore Severing each kind and scum'd the Bullion dross A third as soon had form'd within the ground A various mould and from the boyling cells By strange conveyance fill'd each hollow nook As in an Organ from one blast of wind To many a row of Pipes the sound-board breaths Anon out of the earth a Fabrick huge Rose like an Exhalation with the sound Of Dulcet Symphonies and voices sweet Built like a Temple where Pilasters round VVere set and Doric pillars overlaid VVith Golden Architrave nor did there want Cornice or Freeze with bossy Sculptures grav'n The Roof was fretted Gold Not Babilon Nor great Alcairo such magnificence Equal'd in all thir glories to inshrine Belus or Serapis thir Gods or seat Thir Kings when Aegypt with Assyria strove In wealth and luxurie Th' ascending pile Stood fixt her stately highth and strait the dores Op'ning thir brazen foulds discover wide VVithin her ample spaces o're the smooth And level pavement from the arched roof Pendant by suttle Magic many a row Of Starry Lamps and blazing Cressets fed VVith Naphtha and Asphaltus yeilded light As from a sky The hasty multitude Admiring enter'd and the work some praise And some the Architect his hand was known In Heav'n by many a Towred structure high VVhere Scepter'd Angels held thir residence And sat as Princes whom the supreme King Exalted to such power and gave to rule Each in his Hierarchie the Orders bright Nor was his name unheard or unador'd In ancient Greece and in Ausonian land Men call'd him Mulciber and now he fell From Heav'n they fabl'd thrown by angry Jove Sheer o're the Chrystal Battlements from Morn To Noon he fell from Noon to dewy Eve A Summers day and with the setting Sun Dropt from the Zenith like a falling Star On Lemnos th' Aegaean Ile thus they relate Erring for he with this rebellious rout Fell long before nor aught avail'd him now To have built in Heav'n high Towrs nor did he scape By all his Engins but was headlong sent VVith his industrious crew to build in hell Mean while the winged Haralds by command Of Sovran power with awful Ceremony And Trumpets sound throughout the Host proclaim A solemn Councel forthwith to be held At Pandaemonium the high Capital Of Satan and his Peers thir summons call'd From every Band and squared Regiment By place or choice the worthiest they anon VVith hunderds and with thousands trooping came Attended all access was throng'd the Gates And Porches wide but chief the spacious Hall Though like a cover'd field where Champions bold Wont ride in arm'd and at the Soldans chair Defi'd the best of Panim chivalry To mortal combat or carreer with Lance Thick swarm'd both on the ground and in the air Brusht with the hiss of russling wings As Bees In spring time when the Sun with Taurus rides Pour forth thir populous youth about the Hive In clusters they among fresh dews and flowers Flie to and fro or on the smoothed Plank The suburb of thir Straw-built Cittadel New rub'd with Baum expatiate and confer Thir State affairs So thick the aerie crowd Swarm'd and were straitn'd till the Signal giv'n Behold a wonder they but now who seemd In bigness to surpass Earths Giant Sons Now less then smallest Dwarfs in narrow room Throng numberless like that Pigmean Race Beyond the Indian Mount or Faerie Elves Whose midnight Revels by a Forrest side Or Fountain some belated Peasant sees Or dreams he sees while over-head the Moon Sits Arbitress and neerer to the Earth Wheels her pale course they on thir mirth and dance Intent with jocond Music charm his ear At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds Thus incorporeal Spirits to smallest forms
Reduc'd thir shapes immense and were at large Though without number still amidst the Hall Of that infernal Court But far within And in thir own dimensions like themselves The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim In close recess and secret conclave sat A thousand Demy-Gods on golden seat's Frequent and full After short silence then And summons read the great consult began The End of the First Book Paradise Lost BOOK II. THE ARGUMENT The Consultation begun Satan debates whether another Battel be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven some advise it others dissuade A third proposal is prefer'd mention'd before by Satan to search the truth of that Prophesie or Tradition in Heaven concerning another world and another kind of creature equal or not much inferiour to themselves about this time to be created Thir doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search Satan thir chief undertakes alone the voyage is honourd and applauded The Councel thus ended the rest betake them several wayes and to several imployments as thir inclinations lead them to entertain the time till Satan return He passes on his Journey to Hell Gates finds them shut and who sat there to guard them by whom at length they are op'nd and discover to him the great Gulf between Hell and Heaven with what difficulty he passes through directed by Chaos the Power of that place to the sight of this new World which he sought HIgh on a Throne of Royal State which far Outshon the wealth of Ormus and of Ind Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand Showrs on her Kings Barbaric Pearl and Gold Satan exalted sat by merit rais'd To that bad eminence and from despair Thus high uplifted beyond hope aspires Beyond thus high insatiate to pursue Vain Warr with Heav'n and by success untaught His proud imaginations thus displaid Powers and Dominions Deities of Heav'n For since no deep within her gulf can hold Immortal vigor though opprest and fall'n I give not Heav'n for lost From this descent Celestial vertues rising will appear More glorious and more dread then from no fall And trust themselves to fear no second fate Mee though just right and the fixt Laws of Heav'n Did first create your Leader next free choice With what besides in Counsel or in Fight Hath bin achievd of merit yet this loss Thus farr at least recover'd hath much more Establisht in a safe unenvied Throne Yielded with full consent The happier state In Heav'n which follows dignity might draw Envy from each inferior but who here Will envy whom the highest place exposes For most to stand against the Thunderers aim Your bulwark and condemns to greatest share Of endless pain where there is then no good For which to strive no strife can grow up there From Faction for none sure will claim in Hell Precedence none whose portion is so small Of present pain that with ambitious mind Will covet more With this advantage then To union and firm Faith and firm accord More then can be in Heav'n we now return To claim our just inheritance of old Surer to prosper then prosperity Could have assur'd us and by what best way Whether of open Warr or covert guile We now debate who can advise may speak He ceas'd and next him Moloc Scepter'd King Stood up the strongest and the fiercest Spirit That fought in Heav'n now fiercer by despair His trust was with th' Eternal to be deem'd Equal in strength and rather then be less Car'd not to be at all with that care lost Went all his fear of God or Hell or worse He reck'd not and these words thereafter spake My sentence is for open Warr Of Wiles More unexpert I boast not them let those Contrive who need or when they need not now For while they sit contriving shall the rest Millions that stand in Arms and longing wait The Signal to ascend sit lingring here Heav'ns fugitives and for thir dwelling place Accept this dark opprobrious Den of shame The Prison of his Tyranny who Reigns By our delay no let us rather choose Arm'd with Hell flames and fury all at once O're Heav'ns high Towrs to force resistless way Turning our Torturer into horrid Arms Against the Torturer when to meet the noise Of his Almighty Engin he shall hear Infernal Thunder and for Lightning see Black fire and horror shot with equal rage Among his Angels and his Throne it self Mixt with Tartarean Sulphur and strange fire His own invented Torments But perhaps The way seems difficult and steep to scale With upright wing against a higher foe Let such bethink them if the sleepy drench Of that forgetful Lake benumm not still That in our proper motion we ascend Up to our native seat descent and fall To us is adverse Who but felt of late When the fierce Foe hung on our brok'n Rear Insulting and pursu'd us through the Deep With what compulsion and laborious flight We sunk thus low Th' ascent is easie then Th' event is fear'd should we again provoke Our stronger some worse way his wrath may find To our destruction if there be in Hell Fear to be worse destroy'd what can be worse Then to dwell here driv'n out from bliss condemn'd In this abhorred deep to utter woe Where pain of unextinguishable fire Must exercise us without hope of end The Vassals of his anger when the Scourge Inexorably and the torturing hour Calls us to Penance More destroy'd then thus We should be quite abolisht and expire What fear we then what doubt we to incense His utmost ire which to the highth enrag'd Will either quite consume us and reduce To nothing this essential happier farr Then miserable to have eternal being Or if our substance be indeed Divine And cannot cease to be we are at worst On this side nothing and by proof we feel Our power sufficient to disturb his Heav'n And with perpetual inrodes to Allarme Though inaccessible his fatal Throne VVhich if not Victory is yet Revenge He ended frowning and his look denounc'd Desperate revenge and Battel dangerous To less then Gods On th' other side up rose Belial in act more graceful and humane A fairer person lost not Heav'n he seemd For dignity compos'd and high exploit But all was false and hollow though his Tongue Dropt Manna and could make the worse appear The better reason to perplex and dash Maturest Counsels for his thoughts were low To vice industrious but to Nobler deeds Timorous and slothful yet he pleas'd the ear And with perswasive accent thus began I should be much for open VVarr O Peers As not behind in hate if what was urg'd Main reason to perswade immediate VVarr Did not disswade me most and seem to cast Ominous conjecture on the whole success VVhen he who most excels in fact of Arms In what he counsels and in what excels Mistrustful grounds his courage on despair And utter dissolution as the scope Of all his aim after some dire revenge First what Revenge
Man Anointed universal King all Power I give thee reign for ever and assume Thy Merits under thee as Head Supream Thrones Princedoms Powers Dominions I reduce All knees to thee shall bow of them that bide In Heaven or Earth or under Earth in Hell When thou attended gloriously from Heav'n Shalt in the Sky appeer and from thee send The summoning Arch-Angels to proclaime Thy dread Tribunal forthwith from all Windes The living and forthwith the cited dead Of all past Ages to the general Doom Shall hast'n such a peal shall rouse thir sleep Then all thy Saints assembl'd thou shalt judge Bad men and Angels they arraignd shall sink Beneath thy Sentence Hell her numbers full Thenceforth shall be for ever shut Mean while The World shall burn and from her ashes spring New Heav'n and Earth wherein the just shall dwell And after all thir tribulations long See golden days fruitful of golden deeds With Joy and Love triumphing and fair Truth Then thou thy regal Scepter shalt lay by For regal Scepter then no more shall need God shall be All in All. But all ye Gods Adore him who to compass all this dies Adore the Son and honour him as mee No sooner had th' Almighty ceas't but all The multitude of Angels with a shout Loud as from numbers without number sweet As from blest voices uttering joy Heav'n rung With Jubilee and loud Hosanna's filld Th' eternal Regions lowly reverent Towards either Throne they bow and to the ground With solemn adoration down they cast Thir Crowns inwove with Amarant and Gold Immortal Amarant a Flour which once In Paradise fast by the Tree of Life Began to bloom but soon for mans offence To Heav'n remov'd where first it grew there grows And flours aloft shading the Fount of Life And where the river of Bliss through midst of Heavn Rowls o're Elisian Flours her Amber stream With these that never fade the Spirits elect Bind thir resplendent locks inwreath'd with beams Now in loose Garlands thick thrown off the bright Pavement that like a Sea of Jasper shon Impurpl'd with Celestial Roses smil'd Then Crown'd again thir gold'n Harps they took Harps ever tun'd that glittering by thir side Like Quivers hung and with Praeamble sweet Of charming symphonie they introduce Thir sacred Song and waken raptures high No voice exempt no voice but well could joine Melodious part such concord is in Heav'n Thee Father first they sung Omnipotent Immutable Immortal Infinite Eternal King thee Author of all being Fountain of Light thy self invisible Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sit'st Thron'd inaccessible but when thou shad'st The full blaze of thy beams and through a cloud Drawn round about thee like a radiant Shrine Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appeer Yet dazle Heav'n that brightest Seraphim Approach not but with both wings veil thir eyes Thee next they sang of all Creation first Begotten Son Divine Similitude In whose conspicuous count'nance without cloud Made visible th' Almighty Father shines Whom else no Creature can behold on thee Impresst the effulgence of his Glorie abides Transfus'd on thee his ample Spirit rests Hee Heav'n of Heavens and all the Powers therein By thee created and by thee threw down Th' aspiring Dominations thou that day Thy Fathers dreadful Thunder didst not spare Nor stop thy flaming Chariot wheels that shook Heav'ns everlasting Frame while o're the necks Thou drov'st of warring Angels disarraid Back from pursuit thy Powers with loud acclaime Thee only extoll'd Son of thy Fathers might To execute fierce vengeance on his foes Not so on Man him through their malice fall'n Father of Mercie and Grace thou didst not doome So strictly but much more to pitie encline No sooner did thy dear and onely Son Perceive thee purpos'd not to doom frail Man So strictly but much more to pitie enclin'd He to appease thy wrauth and end the strife Of Mercy and Justice in thy face discern'd Regardless of the Bliss wherein hee sat Second to thee offerd himself to die For mans offence O unexampl'd love Love no where to be found less then Divine Hail Son of God Saviour of Men thy Name Shall be the copious matter of my Song Henceforth and never shall my Harp thy praise Forget nor from thy Fathers praise disjoine Thus they in Heav'n above the starry Sphear Thir happie hours in joy and hymning spent Mean while upon the firm opacous Globe Of this round World whose first convex divides The luminous inferior Orbs enclos'd From Chaos and th' inroad of Darkness old Satan alighted walks a Globe farr off It seem'd now seems a boundless Continent Dark waste and wild under the frown of Night Starless expos'd and ever-threatning storms Of Chaos blustring round inclement skie Save on that side which from the wall of Heav'n Though distant farr som small reflection gaines Of glimmering air less vext with tempest loud Here walk'd the Fiend at large in spacious field As when a Vultur on Imaus bred Whose snowie ridge the roving Tartar bounds Dislodging from a Region scarce of prey To gorge the flesh of Lambs or yeanling Kids Oâ— Hills where Flocks are fed flies toward the Springs Of Ganges or Hydaspes Indian streams But in his way lights on the barren Plaines Of Sericana where Chineses drive With Sails and Wind thir canie Waggons light So on this windie Sea of Land the Fiend Walk'd up and down alone bent on his prey Alone for other Creature in this place Living or liveless to be found was none None yet but store hereafter from the earth Up hither like Aereal vapours flew Of all things transitorie and vain when Sin With vanity had filld the works of men Both all things vain and all who in vain things Built thir fond hopes of Glorie or lasting fame Or happiness in this or th' other life All who have thir reward on Earth the fruits Of painful Superstition and blind Zeal Naught seeking but the praise of men here find Fit retribution emptie as thir deeds All th' unaccompisht works of Natures hand Abortive monstrous or unkindly mixt Dissolvd on Earth fleet hither and in vain Till final dissolution wander here Not in the neighbouring Moon as some have dreamd Those argent Fields more likely habitants Translated Saints or middle Spirits hold Betwixt th' Angelical and Human kinde Hither of ill-joynd Sons and Daughters born First from the ancient World those Giants came With many a vain exploit though then renownd The builders next of Babel on the Plain Of Sennaar and still with vain designe New Babels had they wherewithall would build Others came single he who to be deemd A God leap'd fondly into Aetna flames Empedocles and hee who to enjoy Plito's Elysium leap'd into the Sea Cleombrotus and many more too long Embryo's and Idiots Eremits and Friers White Black and Grey with all thir trumperie Here Pilgrims roam that stray'd so farr to seek In Golgotha him dead who lives in Heav'n And they who to be sure
to th' Eastern Gate was bent thir flight Adam observ'd and with his Eye the chase Pursuing not unmov'd to Eve thus spake O Eve some furder change awaits us nigh Which Heav'n by these mute signs in Nature shews Forerunners of his purpose or to warn Us haply too secure of our discharge From penaltie because from death releast Some days how long and what till then our life Who knows or more then this that we are dust And thither must return and be no more Why else this double object in our sight Of flight pursu'd in th' Air and ore the ground One way the self-same hour why in the East Darkness ere Dayes mid course and Morning light More orient in yon Western Cloud that draws O're the blew Firmament a radiant white And slow descends with somthing heav'nly fraught He err'd not for by this the heav'nly Bands Down from a Skie of Jasper lighted now In Paradise and on a Hill made alt A glorious Apparition had not doubt And carnal fear that day dimm'd Adams eye Not that more glorious when the Angels met Jacob in Mahanaim where he saw The field Pavilion'd with his Guardians bright Nor that which on the flaming Mount appeerd In Dothan cover'd with a Camp of Fire Against the Syrian King who to surprize One man Assassin-like had levied Warr Warr unproclam'd The Princely Hierarch In thir bright stand there left his Powers to seise Possession of the Garden hee alone To find where Adam shelterd took his way Not unperceav'd of Adam who to Eve While the great Visitant approachd thus spake Eve now expect great tidings which perhaps Of us will soon determin or impose New Laws to be observ'd for I descrie From yonder blazing Cloud that veils the Hill One of the heav'nly Host and by his Gate None of the meanest some great Potentate Or of the Thrones above such Majestie Invests him coming yet not terrible That I should fear nor sociably mild As Raphael that I should much confide But solemn and sublime whom not to offend With reverence I must meet and thou retire He ended and th' Arch-Angel soon drew nigh Not in his shape Celestial but as Man Clad to meet Man over his lucid Armes A militarie Vest of purple flowd Livelier then Meliboean or the graine Of Sarra worn by Kings and Hero's old In time of Truce Iris had dipt the wooff His starrie Helme unbuckl'd shew'd him prime In Manhood where Youth ended by his side As in a glistering Zodiac hung the Sword Satans dire dread and in his hand the Spear Adam bowd low hee Kingly from his State Inclin'd not but his coming thus declar'd Adam Heav'ns high behest no Preface needs Sufficient that thy Prayers are heard and Death Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress Defeated of his seisure many dayes Giv'n thee of Grace wherein thou may'st repent And one bad act with many deeds well done Mayst cover well may then thy Lord appeas'd Redeem thee quite from Deaths rapacious claime But longer in this Paradise to dwell Permits not to remove thee I am come And send thee from the Garden forth to till The ground whence thou wast tak'n fitter Soile He added not for Adam at the newes Heart-strook with chilling gripe of sorrow stood That all his senses bound Eve who unseen Yet all had heard with audible lament Discover'd soon the place of her retire O unexpected stroke worse then of Death Must I thus leave thee Paradise thus leave Thee Native Soile these happie Walks and Shades Fit haunt of Gods where I had hope to spend Quiet though sad the respit of that day That must be mortal to us both O flours That never will in other Climate grow My early visitation and my last At Eev'n which I bred up with tender hand From the first op'ning bud and gave ye Names Who now shall reare ye to the Sun or ranke Your Tribes and water from th' ambrosial Fount Thee lastly nuptial Bowre by mee adornd With what to sight or smell was sweet from thee How shall I part and whither wander down Into a lower World to this obscure And wilde how shall we breath in other Aire Less pure accustomd to immortal Fruits Whom thus the Angel interrupted milde Lament not Eve but patiently resigne What justly thou hast lost nor set thy heart Thus over-fond on that which is not thine Thy going is not lonely with thee goes Thy Husband him to follow thou art bound Where he abides think there thy native soile Adam by this from the cold sudden damp Recovering and his scatterd spirits returnd To Michael thus his humble words addressd Celestial whether among the Thrones or nam'd Of them the Highest for such of shape may seem Prince above Princes gently hast thou tould Thy message which might else in telling wound And in performing end us what besides Of sorrow and dejection and despair Our frailtie can sustain thy tidings bring Departure from this happy place our sweet Recess and onely consolation left Familiar to our eyes all places else Inhospitable appeer and desolate Nor knowing us nor known and if by prayer Incessant I could hope to change the will Of him who all things can I would not cease To wearie him with my assiduous cries But prayer against his absolute Decree No more availes then breath against the winde Blown stifling back on him that breaths it forth Therefore to his great bidding I submit This most afflicts me that departing hence As from his face I shall be hid deprivd His blessed count'nance here I could frequent With worship place by place where he voutsaf ' d Presence Divine and to my Sons relate On this Mount he appeerd under this Tree Stood visible among these Pines his voice I heard here with him at this Fountain talk'd So many grateful Altars I would reare Of grassie Terfe and pile up every Stone Of lustre from the brook in memorie Or monument to Ages and thereon Offer sweet smelling Gumms and Fruits and Flours In yonder nether World where shall I seek His bright appearances or foot step-trace For though I fled him angrie yet recall'd To life prolongd and promisd Race I now Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts Of glory and farr off his steps adore To whom thus Michael with regard benigne Adam thou know'st Heav'n his and all the Earth Not this Rock onely his Omnipresence fills Land Sea and Aire and every kinde that lives Fomented by his virtual power and warmd All th' Earth he gave thee to possess and rule No despicable gift surmise not then His presence to these narrow bounds confin'd Of Paradise or Eden this had been Perhaps thy Capital Seare from whence had spred All generations and had hither come From all the ends of th' Earth to celebrate And reverence thee thir great Progenitor But this praeeminence thou hast lost brought down To dwell on eeven ground now with thy Sons Yet doubt not but in Vallie and in plaine God